If you think the festive season has lasted quite long enough already, spare a thought for the farming Harker family. As soon as Christmas 2017 ends, Christmas 2018 begins.

“Next Christmas starts on January 1,” says Rupert Harker, who with his wife Tracy runs Harker’s Farm Shop in the Rushcliffe hamlet of Clipston-on-the-Wolds. “We sit down and make notes about how we can improve for next time.

“We draw up lists of things like how many turkeys we have sold and how many we are likely to need in 2018.”

And while we are talking turkey, the Harkers confirm that the big bird remains the number one choice for Christmas lunch, the most popular order being for a 6kg specimen … although an increasing proportion of farm shop customers are asking not for whole birds but for boned turkey breasts.

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You don’t need to rise at dawn to cook them, and you won’t be picking at the wreckage for a week after the big day. While the shop will be shifting 300 home-raised turkeys this month, boned breast orders have risen to 150.

Other trends? Gammon joints are especially popular this year, and Tracy wonders if TV chefs have been working on gammon recipes this autumn. Geese, capons and three-bird roasts are also in the order books.

Harker's Farm Shop holds an award for supporting local producers

The award-winning farm shop is a showcase for the family’s livestock, with beef from their Hereford and Aberdeen Angus herds also proving popular this December. The Harkers also rear their own lamb.

December is one twelfth of the year but the month produces a quarter of the business’s annual turnover. “Christmas is massive for us,” says Tracy, who will turn planning into action next June, when she will start ordering stock for December 2018.

Much of that stock will be local, and not just Harker meat. The word Ruddington occurs on the spuds sacks. On the ale counter you will see Castle Rock’s Harvest Pale, Nottingham Extra Pale Ale and Springhead’s Roaring Meg … all outstanding beers from successful local breweries.

The bread is from Turners Bakery in Cropwell Bishop and the honey comes not with food miles, but with food yards – it is made in the village.

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For a half-century track record in championing local produce, Harker’s Farm Shop won the Supporting the Local Economy accolade at this year’s Recognising Rushcliffe Awards, organised by Rushcliffe Borough Council and the Nottingham Post.

The shop was founded in 1954 by Rupert’s father Tom Harker who began by selling chickens and eggs door-to-door. Sixty-three years on, the family business has grown to the point where it employs 10 people in the shop and adjoining butchery.

At the time of the award, Tracy said: “Our business is putting money and jobs back into the local economy and we do this because we know how hard it is to run a small business nowadays.

“You have to compete against supermarkets who do not encourage the local suppliers. It is nice to be able to help those independents and it makes us stand out for our customers.”

The meat counter is at the heart of the Harker operation

As well as local produce, Harker’s – in common with many farm shops – stocks exotic treats. Inspect the shelves this weekend and you will find strawberry meringues, Copper House gin from Suffolk, passionfruit curd and Mississippi Barbecue Sauce.

“And bottles of Prosecco with chocolate strawberries have been flying out of the window,” said Tracy as she prepared for this weekend’s peak demand for the Christmas trees arrayed around the farmyard.

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Business will build steadily until the last days before Christmas, with customers able to pick up not only their turkey, gammon or beef but also all the usual vegetables and a choice of Christmas puddings. One line is flavoured with Guinness, another with Bailey’s.

And Christmas for the Harkers? They are looking forward to a quiet break … knowing that Christmas 2018 will be just days away.